


Family is complicated

by TheQueenofMirth



Category: The Folk of the Air - Holly Black
Genre: Family Drama, Family Dynamics, Family Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-17
Updated: 2019-11-17
Packaged: 2021-02-07 23:28:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21466282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheQueenofMirth/pseuds/TheQueenofMirth
Summary: Marriage is a challenge.The family that comes along, too.
Relationships: Jude Duarte & Taryn Duarte, Jude Duarte/Cardan Greenbriar, Taryn Duarte/Cardan Greenbriar
Comments: 1
Kudos: 116





	Family is complicated

"You married _ him _." Lady Taryn accused. She was wandering arm in arm with the High Queen on the palace gardeners, which showed the Queen’s favour towards her. “Of all the unfavourable choices you have ever made, that was the most unreasonable that I witnessed.”

The glow of the full moon made it easy for them to see the flowers with the human eyes. The guards guaranteed precarious privacy. And the silence made easier to Jude concentrate. Though, Taryn's complaints about her marriage with Cardan didn’t.

"_Yes,” _ The answer came out through clenched teeth when the petals of a rose fell apart on her hand. _“_I married Cardan, the tormentor of our _youth_."

Jude didn't want to deal with her twin’s incoherent jealousy — Taryn hated Cardan, but seeing Jude on sumptuous dresses and rich jewels make her forget how much. — principally when she was trying to make the roses bloom.

Cardan did that seem easy, but to Jude, it was harder. He could guide the magic, but she had none to guide. To her, it was a matter of finding the right feelings.

"He is _ terrible _." Jude shrugged. Cardan was High King, be terrible was part of his job as it was of hers as High Queen. And, towards her, he was opposite of terrible. But it wasn't Jude's marital happiness that her twin had in mind. "He says mean things to me."

Jude rolled her eyes. "He can be cruel, but he isn't a liar. Is he?" Neither failed to notice how she sounded as something Cardan would say. “Sorry. I know he isn’t nice to you, but you aren’t nice to him either.”

"He is awful and you are becoming as awful as him."

"You married _ Locke _. What that makes you?" Taryn gasped.

They weren’t arm-in-arm anymore.

"Locke is not-"

"Awful?" The question came from behind them, amused and mischievous.

They turned to see the High King approaching them. Each of his steps made the twin's hearts quickened more and more for different reasons.

With the crown in his head, the clever black eyes, the makeup applied to perfection, the wicked grin in his lips, the imperious clothes and an imposing bearing, Cardan was a menacing figure. And that was the only thing Taryn could see. 

But, to Jude, he was more than that. To her, Cardan was _ terribly beautiful _.

"My King." Thanks to her wedding, Taryn was part of the High Court. And as any courtier, she had to blow to him. And so she did. With rigidity in her shoulders and resentment in her eyes. She hated that, but she hated more the fact that Jude didn't need to do the same.

"If your husband wasn't an awful creature, I couldn't say so. But watch me,” it wasn’t the worse Cardan could do by far, it was childish. Yet Taryn grew pale while he talked. “Locke is awful as Taryn is-"

"It's enough." Jude interrupted.

Cardan’s grin faded way giving place to a neutral expression. Most of the time, she preferred don’t get involved in Taryn’s sting exchange with him. However, to be called awful wasn’t something her sister couldn’t bear.

After a moment of uncomfortable silence, — in which the High King studied his wife's face carefully enough to make her blush — he signed. "As my Queen wishes." Then he turned to Taryn smirking. "Relieve your fears about the happiness of your Queen, _ sister _ , because, as you see, I can be good to my wife. Especially when we are _ alone _.” And just in case the dismiss had been too subtle, he continued, “Now, Go. Find another way to make the court notices you."

Biting her lips, Taryn looked to her twin for support — Cardan hadn’t just dismissed her, he had offended her with a mortifying dose of truth — but Jude needed to talk alone with him. And, if her husband had followed her there, he wanted to spend some time together too. She wouldn’t fight him just to please Taryn’s ego. “I will find you later.”

Taryn blushed and stepped back with her skirts inside her clenched fists. She turned to leave and then she turned back. With her chin up, she said “I am delighted to see that my sister overcame her reservations against your tail, my King. Even a little discontent can have a big impact on a couple's life.” She spoke to Cardan — looked at him — but it felt as if the sting was to Jude.

Taryn left the palace gardeners as what she was, a Lady of High Court. Petty and vain.

Maybe they should introduce her to Lady Asha.

Or, perhaps, it was safer to avoid that.

“_ Reservations _?” The tail lashed in the air at the sound of question. He wasn’t even looking at Jude but narrowing his eyes in the direction that Taryn had left. 

“I made fun of your tail to her. _ Once _ .” Jude tried to explain and undo the harm her sister had brought over their marriage with the silly provocation. “I’m Gentry, a Faerie Lord — A tail is uncommon. Maybe even _ rich _. But I would appreciate if you don’t mock me to your sister.” 

“It happened a long time ago and I was being childish.” She tried again stepping close enough to touch him. But the fresh and thirsty anger that she saw in his eyes let it clear there would be no dialogue. And if he wouldn’t hear her, she didn’t see the point on trying. “Do you want to sulk? Sulk. But I've heard worse things from you and I forgave you.”

The Queen was leaving him when the King spoke again, his fury more restrained than before. “Taryn doesn’t want our marriage to work out because she is jealous of your position. She tries to poison your mind against me in each opportunity she gets. It’s _ outrageous _. Yet you let she be one of your closest ones.”

She had to turn to face him again. Cardan wasn't wrong about Taryn, but he couldn't ask of her what Jude thought he was asking. “Your mother isn’t particularly fond of me, either. But I wouldn’t ask you to cut ties with her.”

In three steps he was in front of her, holding her chin and studying her eyes with intensity enough to make her blush. “Is she harassing you?” His voice was composed, but his eyes were hurt.

Lady Asha was his mother. Cardan wanted to take measures against her as much Jude wanted to take against Taryn.

“I can take care of myself.” That wasn’t words that cheered him.

“_Jude…_”

“_No _.” She drove off his hand of her jaw and grabbed his chin as he had done to her before. “You listen to me. Family is complicated, but we will make it work.” And suddenly, feeling silly, she stood on the tiptoes and kissed the corner of his lips. “My sister can’t convince me to love you less.”


End file.
